Pete's Tavern
Encyclopedia
Pete's Tavern, located at 129 East 18th Street on the corner of Irving Place in the Gramercy Park
neighborhood of Manhattan
, New York City
, is one of several drinking establishments which each claim to be the oldest continuously operated tavern in the city.
The building which houses Pete's was built in 1829, and was originally the Portman Hotel; liquor may have been sold there as early as 1851 or 1852 – when it was a "grocery & grog" store – and the first official drinking establishment founded by 1864. It was bought in 1899 by Tom and John Healy, and became Healy's. During prohibition
, when selling alcohol was illegal, the bar continued to operate disguised as a flower shop.
The writer O. Henry
lived down the street at 55 Irving Place from 1903 to 1907, and Healy's appears in his short story
"The Lost Blend" under the name "Kenealy's". Local legend also has it that he wrote his well-known story "The Gift of the Magi
" in Healy's second booth from the front, but this appears to be apocryphal.
Although the tavern claims to be "an official historical landmark", it is neither a designated New York City landmark nor is it on the National Register of Historic Places
. It does, however, lie within the Gramercy Park Historic District designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
in 1966.
, Ragtime
, Endless Love
, Law and Order
and Sex and the City
. It has also been used as a location for television commercials and print advertisements.
Gramercy Park
Gramercy Park is a small, fenced-in private park in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park is at the core of both the neighborhood referred to as either Gramercy or Gramercy Park and the Gramercy Park Historic District...
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, is one of several drinking establishments which each claim to be the oldest continuously operated tavern in the city.
The building which houses Pete's was built in 1829, and was originally the Portman Hotel; liquor may have been sold there as early as 1851 or 1852 – when it was a "grocery & grog" store – and the first official drinking establishment founded by 1864. It was bought in 1899 by Tom and John Healy, and became Healy's. During prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, when selling alcohol was illegal, the bar continued to operate disguised as a flower shop.
The writer O. Henry
O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
lived down the street at 55 Irving Place from 1903 to 1907, and Healy's appears in his short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"The Lost Blend" under the name "Kenealy's". Local legend also has it that he wrote his well-known story "The Gift of the Magi
The Gift of the Magi
"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by O. Henry , about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money...
" in Healy's second booth from the front, but this appears to be apocryphal.
Although the tavern claims to be "an official historical landmark", it is neither a designated New York City landmark nor is it on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It does, however, lie within the Gramercy Park Historic District designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
in 1966.
In popular culture
Pete's Tavern has appeared in numerous films and television programs, including SeinfeldSeinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Ragtime
Ragtime (film)
Ragtime is a 1981 American film based on the historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. The action takes place in and around New York City, New Rochelle, and Atlantic City in the first decade of the 1900s, and includes fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time. The film was...
, Endless Love
Endless Love
Endless Love may refer to:*Endless Love, a novel by Scott Spencer*Endless Love , released in 1981 and starring Brooke Shields, based on the novel**Endless Love...
, Law and Order
Law and Order
Law and Order may refer to:In politics:*Law and order , a term common in political debate and discussion, generally indicating support of a strict criminal justice system*Law and Order Offensive Party, a minor German political party...
and Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
. It has also been used as a location for television commercials and print advertisements.